Books Set in the United States: North Dakota

The Round House, by Louise Erdrich (2012)

This novel is narrated by the adult Joe, recounting the events of the summer of 1988, when he was 13 years old.  Joe’s father is a judge on an Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota.  He imagines his father presiding over, and deciding, cases of immense importance.  During the summer, he comes to understand that a tribal judge actually has very little jurisdiction over matters involving Native Americans and non-Natives.

Joe’s mother, Geraldine, was brutally beaten and raped.  For weeks after the rape, Geraldine refused to speak of the assault.  Slowly, we learn that it occurred near the Round House ~ a sacred ceremonial spot of the tribe.  The exact location of the assault is not so clear.  Near the round house are state, federal and tribal lands.  Each have differing laws and officials.  Thus, determining the exact location is important if justice is to be had.

Joe wants justice for his mother.  He and his three closest friends seek ways to find evidence to help his mother.  Joe goes to the Round House to search for evidence. When the rapist is finally caught, Joe and his family breathe easy, until he is set free over jurisdictional issues.

In between seeking justice for his mother, Joe interacts with various extended family members, including his old grandfather who recounts tribal lore, and Sonja, the former stripper who lives with his uncle Whitey.

The story got bogged down in the middle.  The boys spy on the new Catholic priest.  When the priest catches the boys spying, the encounter seems off.  One of Joe’s friends, Cappy, has a relationship with a young girl.  When Cappy confesses to the priest, the priest’s reaction, again seems off.

In the afterward, the author notes that the laws in effect in 1988, did not grant much relief for Native-American women who were raped, and 86% of rapes and assaults on Native-American women were perpetrated by non-Natives.  The Tribal Law and Order Act was signed into law in 2010, which seeks to restore sovereign justice.

Read: July 29, 2018

3 Stars